FinnN

I notice that today the Russian site is giving a release date of 22nd June (anniversary of the German attack on the USSR)...does this mean that the patch is imminent? Have fun Finn

I've managed to knock it out, but it's difficult. One possibility if you have a lot of HE ammo that I haven't tried is to knock out its gun and its tracks, tanks crews almost always bail shortly after that happens but you'll need a lot of tries before you hit the critical systems (if you're lucky). Have fun Finn

Sounds good, and I'd rather it took a bit longer than having something broken. Have fun Finn

The demo missions are very poor - if that was all I'd played and I hadn't pre-ordered then I can say for sure that I wouldn't buy the game. The mission with the AT guns in particular is appalling, and whilst the 'real' mission that's included has lots of 'cool stuff' it highlights performance issues when you have too many units floating around. If you give it a chance the game itself is a lot better, through still with some serious issues. The bad things which the demo highlights aren't such a problem in most of the campaign missions. Potentially the game could be really great, and it's more of a case of balancing and mission design than anything else so I'm fairly hopeful. Have fun Finn

I've had this once or twice after changing the unit mix (eg taking more SPGs than in the default unit choice). I think that there aren't enough placeholders in the mission file for the maximum number of units of a particular type that you can select in some cases. So, if there's a missing placeholder, or if the placeholder's outside the deployment area you get a stuck unit until the mission starts. I've not had it quite as bad as the situation you describe, but it sounds similar. Have fun Finn

You can only move the Soviet one unfortunately. Maybe it'll get added in the future as I have seen a screenshot over on the French forums which shows people moving the German one. Have fun Finn

A custom battle generator could be written as battles/campaigns are just xml files (and so not hard coded), but it's a lot of work. I have some ideas floating around about how to implement one, but it would of course be far preferable if it came with the game (too late for that now) or in an add-on. Have fun Finn

Well, funny you should mention that...my initial plan is to get my database of infantry finished, complete with graphics and availability in the game. I'm a little behind on the database, but it's getting there - I now have the initial set of data in in a decent structure, just needs a friendly interface on top to keep it easy to organise/modify. My next project is a bit more ambitious though, I'm going to be adding an OOB section to the database with the intention with making a mission editor helper. You'll can select an operation (eg Ardennes'44) and can then drill down through the units historically available and select them. It'll then export a blank mission file with the units and placeholders in so that the designer has a bit of a head start. From there it shouldn't be a million miles away to extend it to a quick battle generator, and from there a full campaign generator. All this is a long, long way down the road but I'm fairly confident it'll be possible - if not by me then someone else. Have fun Finn

Yep (and I guess you'll know this already, but just in case), each unit has a points value and you get a total points allocation per battle. If you move a unit from reserves into the fighting force it comes from your remaining points, and the reverse is true if you move from your fighting force to the reserves. As you refer to a 'points cost' it's usual to call it 'buying'. Maybe it's a wargaming thing rather than a computer gaming thing. Have fun Finn

Nope, here's a complete list of German infantry weapons in ToW, interesting to see the Faustpatrone (an early Panzerfaust) in there: PzB_39 M_24 (Grenade) MG_34 Luger_P08 MG_42 Walter_P38 Mauser_K98k M_24_(GeballteLadung) (Grenade Bundle) Panzerschreck Faustpatrone Panzerfaust_30 Panzerfaust_60 Panzerfaust_100 Mauser_K98k_Sniper MP_40 StG_44 M_39 ('egg' grenade) PWM (AT grenade) So no Hafthohlladung (or more importantly rifle grenades or other early war anti-tank weapons). I don't think the allies have any equivalent weapons in ToW either, but I could be wrong. Have fun Finn

I suspect at least some units have been 'inherited' from IL2, where a ground attack mission against artillery makes sense. Probably the 88 didn't make it due to needing significantly different animations from anything else - it would have been worth the effort IMHO, but I bet that's the reason. Seeing as they are there though I don't think they should be removed as it allows for them to be targets in things like partisan strikes. More the merrier I think! Have fun Finn

You can completely add new units, or modify existing ones. The possibility is there for an extra bit that interacts with a round before it hits the target, but as the shape appears to be held in the 3D file I don't think anyone can add these as yet. Have fun Finn

In ToW (I don't play RTSs generally, the only other series I have are the Total War ones and they play very differently to ToW) I think a lot depends on if you're on the offensive or defensive: If you're on the defensive a lot rides on picking out good positions. Key to this is not getting picked off immediately, and that means gauging where you'll be in cover. In general you will want to be in (or behind) a bush with at least one or two bushes in front of that between you and the enemy. This isn't that intuitive if you judge from the graphics, but once you've managed it a couple of times you can easily tell from top-down view if you're likely to be spotted or not. Also bear in mind that buildings block LOS 100%. Ideally you'll also want to find a position that you can withdraw from and redeploy as multiple flank attacks are common in the campaigns. Don't try to defend clearly indefensible areas unless you have no other option. This all requires looking at the terrain carefully. If you're on the offensive then I generally try to pick out areas which I can attack which aren't under fire from the rest of the map - this may mean attacking places which aren't in the mission goals list. Start with a recon, sneaking men around using bushes as cover (see above). Once you've identified what's out there then it's time to make your attack plan. So again you need to look at the terrain, but I think if you're going to go over it in minute detail you're probably better off doing it after the recon than before. Again be prepared to restart multiple times, this gets less frequent as you gain experience. If you can cope with the high frustration level you're better off restarting than saving/reloading constantly - I managed it in all but the Polish campaign and I think it was a big help. I think it's worth your while reading through these articles: http://www.armchairgeneral.com/articles.php?cat=71 The detail might not be 100% applicable to ToW, but the generalities certainly are. Have fun Finn

You're not going to like me then! In my German infantry mod the main gameplay affecting thing that I'm doing is splitting units into teams that work together on the battlefield. As a sniper typically doesn't have a colonel sitting 5m behind him I'm taking the sniper out of my staff squads (stock squads will still be in there). Points values for infantry are all over the place IMO, further down the line I'm going to get points into the database I'm using to create the new squads and you can bet snipers will be one of the more expensive units! Personally I think they're a bit overpowered for whatever reason at the moment. Have fun Finn

Oh, and if machine guns were better at area denial without smoke it'd make them an almost unbeatable proposition for anything less than a tank. I can't quite figure out if they do have an area effect or not, I suspect that's what some of the grouping settings are for in the ini files. Have fun Finn

I agree, very annoying to see a squad run in through a gateway and get mown down by an SMG gunner hidden in the courtyard. You'd think man #9 would stop and think to throw a grenade over the wall seeing as #1-8 are lying there in a pile. It makes gardens a prime defensive location. This must have been noticed during game development as in a few scenarios the AI is set up in these sorts of locations and there's not much you can do about it other than drive in with a tank or demolish the walls. If enterable buildings end up making it in in the future this is something that needs some serious looking at. Have fun Finn

There's quite a few missing weapons, but it's difficult to say which ones can be modded and which ones will need the devs to work on. I think one problem with some of these things is that they'd be most useful thrown under vehicles rather than at them (eg teller mines) or are missing the magnetic grabs. Didn't get a chance to continue with my infantry database until yesterday so a bit behind with the new infantry sets, hoping to get a first export done today or tomorrow (without modded graphics). I've also now started on the German uniforms by making a kit of elements that can be combined into different variations and periods. It feels a bit silly doing things like correcting the number of buttons on 1943 tunics considering I mostly play from up high - but why not! Have fun Finn

The minimum range for indirect fire from this sort of thing is slightly greater than the maximum possible distance on the map (the diagonal across a 2kmx2km map), so it wouldn't be possible even if it were implemented. Have fun Finn

I think it always said "end of month", it certainly did just before the end of the month anyway. Still, where's our update on "hopefully I will have more details next week on where things stand"... Have fun Finn

I'm using DrJones' tool - it's his so it's up to him to distribute it or not I guess. If you check your e-mail though I've sent you the contents of some sample .ini files related to this thread. Have fun Finn

The way I've been doing my experiments I've been is using the tool that's used with Silent Hunter mods - the JoneSoft generic mod enabler. You put all your files in their own folder that matches the game structure. When you enable a mod it makes a backup of any overwritten files and restores them if you disable a mod. Very handy! filesid.ini contains a list of folders with a number for each one. I'm thinking of writing a little .exe where you put in a list of modded folders in a .txt file, it'll go through the folders and check to see they exist in filesid.ini and if they don't it'll add them with a new number. So, to add a mod you'll enable it using the JSGME and then run the exe and it'll sort out the numbers automatically. More of a problem though is the names that the game uses to read in the data (not file names), these can't be repeated, so what I do is prefix any I've created with sd_ (from 'supadetail', which is what I used when I used to do flight sim stuff) - that way I know that I'm not overwriting the stock files so all the campaigns will still work and if someone else creates a unit that represents one that I do then there's no chance of a conflict. I'd suggest that everyone does the same. I think a modding group/forum is a good idea, maybe a Google group for people with the extraction tool would be a good start? Have fun Finn

It's interesting that no-one has said 'no' either and I'm sure these threads have been read. What we're missing is an import/export plugin for something like 3DS Max - the 3D modelling would probably be fairly easy (I've done some in the past - I used to be a moderator at the official gMax support forums). If you look at the meshes of the vehicles they're all fairly low poly, most of the detail is textured on. Nice find though, I guess it'll make adding some of the closer variants to existing models pretty easy now. Have fun Finn

I've seen it in one or two missions - but then again I don't go around capturing stuff often, I think maybe the designer has to enable it the script for the battle? If I remember correctly it appears as a blocked unit in the unit selection screen at the start of the next battle. Have fun Finn

Also for each gun there's a minimum and a maximum aiming distance as well as a maximum range, a dispersion at 1000, an aim radius for various distances, a series of 'LinesH' and 'Lines' and a series of penetration values. There are also tables for different types of weapon aiming at different types of target. Obviously all these could have an effect, but which ones are used by the game engine and for what I'm not sure. For example the grouping stuff above - is it for damage? For targeting groups? A modifier for morale effect if one goes off next to you? Projectile dispersion? Have fun Finn

Of course penetration should be greater at 0-degrees than 30-degrees -- not less as you have implied with the above. I think what you are trying to say is given penetration at 30-degree obliquity what is penetration at 0-degrees. Assuming a simple cosine function for slope effect the answer is: Penetration @ 30-deg divided by COS(30) = Penetration @ 0-degrees. But this particular type of AP projectile is not well suited to prediction of penetration via a simple cosine function -- that is it's not well suited for any sort of plate inclination beyond about 8 or 10-degrees from the normal. Moreover, the actual performance vs. a cosine function diverges rapidly beyond about 8 or 10-degrees. </font>